10 Reasons Why I Don't Watch NHL Hockey Anymore 1) I'm a Sabres fan. 2) I'm a Sabres fan. 3) I'm a Sabres fan. 4) I'm a Sabres fan. 5) I'm a Sabres fan. 6) I'm a Sabres fan. 7) I'm a Sabres fan. 8) I'm a Sabres fan. 9) I'm a Sabres fan. 10) I'm a Sabres fan.
Gambling has always been corrupt which is why it has been historically illegal and one of the most talked about addictions in line with drugs and alcohol.
What bothers me most about the digital ads is that they've replaced those cool on ice logos that they did for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and for the first couple weeks of the regular season that were just inside the blueline. The playoffs really felt like the playoffs when you saw that big Stanley Cup Playoffs logo there but now there's an ad for KIA, great.
I have been watching hockey even more because my five and three year old daughters love watching it with me. Every day now the three year old will ask me “what teams are on tonight” it’s the best! ❤
Preach! All I want to do is drink a glass of scotch after work and WATCH THE WILD, WHILE LIVING IN MINNESOTA, without having to give Bally naming right to my next child.
Don't be such a cheapskate. Buy a Sports package. Mine costs about 30 bucks a month and I get ALL NHL games PLUS MLB, NBA, and even U.S. college basketball. You're like the little old lady at the grocery checkout counter who can't believe prices have risen since 1956.
Ya man, I'm pissed, I wanted to watch my Canucks play the Wild the other day but couldn't because the game was blocked in my region even tho I'm paying for it.
I used to get Avs games on cable, but Krinkie got rid of Altitude sports on cable. But I’m a Canucks fan either way. Avs are my #2 tho since I’m a Colorado native
As a hockey fan and a baseball fan I hate the blackouts and the fact that you can't watch your favorite teams games on your cable provider because they don't carry the channel. Like for instance I'm a Preds fan and a Braves fan with UA-cam TV and I can't watch the games without a Bally Sports subscription to watch the Preds and I can't watch the Braves at all without an MLB TV subscription and a VPN. It's highly annoying
*Hey I want to watch this out of market game* "You need this several hundred dollar subscription for that" *Hey I want to watch this in market game* "Sorry it's been blacked out" *But I can watch it because I got that expensive subscription advertised to give me every game right* "...NO" The MLB especially shoots itself in the foot with it. I feel like it's such a chore to watch a ball game. It's the longest season & the slowest sport, and I know they are worried about viewership decline. Would probably help if folks could watch the games.
@@stephendacey8761 IDK about other markets but I live in Colorado, have ESPN+, and the Avs games are still blocked. Ive also tried a VPN and that hasn't worked either.
My wife is a Padres fan. We live in Cardinals, Rangers, Astros "territory." I'm a Rangers fan. We don't live anywhere near our teams. Blackouts in the 21st Century are ridiculou$.
i used to pay for ESPN+ but the blackouts were so annoying i didn't renew my subscription and i just pirate all the games now. it's frustrating bc i have no prob paying but if they want to make it difficult ill just go the easier route
1. Rogers 2. A big hug fight scrum after every hit. Even if you string your own guy out and he gets nailed, you are obligated to hug the guy that hit him. 3. Digital Ads 4. No Coach’s Corner 5. Dumb fans banging on the glass thinking it does something besides blocking the view. 6. Reviews slowing down the game. 7. Lack of technology in those reviews. No puck sensors to determine goals. Potato vision cameras to review those goals. 8. Too many outdoor gimmick games. 9. Sports betting everywhere. 10. Helmet ads.
I did cut down on my hockey watching, and sports watching in general. There are other important things to worry about than the results of a game. I do enjoy attending live hockey though. I live very close to UBS Arena to where I can get a cheap enough ticket last minute, I will go.
commercials breaks are a pain in... it takes 3 hours to tell a 1 hour story. As a Swiss, I keep watching Swiss games, because they last only 2 hours. Well, the level is lower, but in the end, the experience is better. The flip side of the coin are the jerseys covered by sponsors.
As far as digital boards, I have a nit pick complaint on why I don't like them. I honestly enjoyed seeing the local ads. I don't know why exactly. But it probably has something to do with loving to travel, and explore. Just felt like you got a little taste of the local flavors with the local ads. Felt like part of the arena. It increased more as I traveled more & started recognizing the businesses. Like "hey that's that place we stopped at in ___" , or "Oh we saw so many of those in that city" It was also cool going to an NHL city for the first time and already recognizing some local spots, and saying hey I want to check that place out they've sponsored the ___s for years now. Further more I lived outside of my home town for a decade, it was nice to get a glimpse of home watching the games.
I know what you mean. I remember growing up in the '90s, the Yankees and Rangers always had "Nobody Beats The Wiz" ads up in the stadium and arena. And I always pondered who that was. But no other teams promoted them.
@@fantasticvoyage262 The Wiz! Wow that is a deep cut of Northeast lore. It's an old eletronics store chain. A few other teams outside of the NY market did have them but it was mostly in like Philly or Baltimore. Like the Northeast/New England/Mid-Atlantic corridor. I'm from Buffalo I don't think k they ever advertised there. But we're a small market that is harder to break into (especially in those days) because we have many of our own homegrown chains that dominate WNY & the Buffalo area (Some of which would spread to the rest of the country/world like Wegmans or New Era cap). So what (comparatively) little money there is to be made there is not easy to win over because of regional loyalty.
@@fantasticvoyage262 you got me feeling nostalgic so I was looking into it, apparently they briefly associated with the Habs so they broke into the Quebec market, at least for a little while.
@@TRZN91 So that was the actual name of the company? Or just some marketing slogan? Every time I saw it, my mind kept churning. Because we didn't have them in the Midwest.
1. The digital boards drive me crazy. 2. The network/streaming app the games are on change every game. 3. Less emphasis on the inherent excitement of the game. More emphasis on constant stimulation both on the tv and live at the games Those are mine.
to eliminate tanking the league can implement "draft points" as soon as u are eliminated from the playoff contention. every win is worth points, which ever team has the most points get #1 draft. (usually will be the worst team cos they get eliminated early)
@@Nickh4929I want them to keep the older style spoked B just not in the glittery gold. I want yellow socks back for the home uniforms too even though they don’t match as good, to me it’s just an iconic bruins look
As a longtime NHL fan, I too have noticed the exponential increase in betting ads during NHL games. One does have to wonder how this affects the overall integrity of the game and how this contributes to the overall percentage of viewers developing gambling addictions.
Completely agree. The amount of rampant open promotion and encouragement of gambling in the NHL (and NFL) is out of control. It’s makes me lose all passion for what I’m watching. It really is encouraging bad addictive behavior that can destroy families and lives.
Another great video thats well done. Just as a request please do a video collaboration with The Hockey Guy. The both of you are by far the most knowledgeable with jerseys. I would love to hear conversations with each other regarding the game as well.
the betting ads between whistles and commercial breaks was bad enough. then they started throwing them all over the digital boards which was annoying, AND THEN these huge popups mid play that get in the way while im trying to watch the f'in game... ridiculous
I just miss the rivalry hockey. I’m a pens fan and my best friend is a flyers fan and we went to a game where the penguins just pumped the flyers 7-0 and nothing happened. Hardly any hits and no fights
Hockey just isn't the same anymore. I miss the grittyness to it and it seems like it's become too bland now. Also the shootouts and giving a point for an overtime loss is just ridiculous. Bring back ties in the regular season. What's the big deal. There are no ties in the playoffs.
This is me man. I haven't watched the NHL for any more than 5 minutes at a time the past two seasons because every time I do I last about 5 minutes because of the darn digital advertising. It is always stuttering. You lose the puck. You can't keep up with the play. What's the point of all these stupid digital ads if people are turning it off. It's costing you viewers.
I’m in the same boat as you, and it comes down to two reasons: how expensive it is to get the online subscription, and blackouts. I got the subscription in the Covid year because I was hyped to see the Canadian division. Turned out to be a horrible mistake because, since I’m from Saskatchewan, I have 3 “home” teams: Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg. Meaning any game with one of those 3 teams I couldn’t watch! Such a load of crap. I’m a law abiding guy, but that makes me want to go out and watch pirated games. If it was free or even just more affordable I’d watch a lot more games
I watched a ton of hockey in college (coincidentally during your video a day streak) as it was my way of staying grounded from my studies, especially as I turned my hobby into my full time work. I'm watching less now of other teams now, but I am watching mine and my wife's favourite teams at least twice a week as just a way of relaxing. I do now work with a Jr A team in my city, so hockey has also worked its way into my work, but I can't be more than happy to do it. Blackouts are frustrating, but nothing was worse than going to watch a flames home game on Saturday night in 2007, only to learn it was PPV.
Broke or not a person should always have their backbone and stand on what they believe in. I’m glad that you do. It lets me know the world hasn’t completely lost it.
I agree with your reasons to not watch, some of these things like the Sports Betting, Digital Boards, fairness from the league and NHLPA are a headache. Being a Panthers fan living in Texas, I can watch most of my teams out of market games, but I agree 100% with you about blackouts needing to go. Hang in there and maybe root for the Cats this season in the Playoffs! ;)
I appreciate your comments, and have been watching your channel here and there for a few years now. As far as your grievance about these gambling sites and all the ways they advertise I agree with you whole heartedly. I first noticed this several years ago when one of these gambling sites sponsored a radio show about gambling and gave tips on which games were the best to bet on. I have always thought this was far beyond what sports media should be doing. However I am sure you may recall how beer companies and alcohol companies used to dominate advertising of sporting events and teams. Please let me inform you that I did not follow your show because of those shirts you would give away, as I never even attempted to win one, I simply loved your knowledge and love for what was obviously a passion, and one which got me into a small hobby of collecting Hockey Jerseys now (I will say I have always loved sports team Jerseys and, used to have a few Football and baseball Jerseys over the years, but since watching your shows, I now have over 10 Hockey Jerseys (and growing) and look forward to expanding that collection. (maybe not as extensive as yours ) As far as the blackouts go, this has been an issue for decades, this is not anything new. It used to be that if a professional team did not sell out the arena then the game would be blacked out in that area. Of course this has to do with revenues for the teams and the thought that people would not go to the games if they could watch them for "free" on tv. This attitude has changed somewhat over the years. However if you want to watch any game around the world, subscribe to a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which will mask what your real location is and have your computer/tv show up as being in a completely different region or country. This way you can show up as being from western Canada (for example) and thus not being in the blackout zone for the Habs. This way you will be able to watch any hockey game on your paid service like. I agree with you that it feels like we are being ripped off by paying an extra fee to get a hockey package and not being able to watch all the games. Please note that a VPN is perfectly legal
I used to watch every game of my favorite team when I lived with my parents. Because they have cable. I don’t have cable and only have streaming services. All games I want to watch are blacked out, unless they are nationally televised. Which is probably 5 games a year. As a professional league, you can’t seriously expect viewership to rise, when you limit viewership from the new style of media (streaming).
I'm a huge hockey fan, but I haven't been able to watch any NHL this year either. Couldn't agree more with some of the points you've made such as blackouts and especially the ad boards as I have a concussion and those definitely make it hard to watch without getting a headache, theyre also extremely distracting. Sucks that the NHL is so money hungry. All they talk about is "growing the game" yet they don't let you watch games because you're in a specific region. It comes across as hypocritical and fake. I'm glad you were able to point out many of these issues, hopefully more people see this and take note of these issues.
Although I tend to agree with all of these you mentioned. I think it’s easier than a top 10 reason. I feel your number 4 reason is the key to why a lot of people don’t watch hockey. And it’s how there team is playing. If your team is good, you overlook all the little annoyances that make the nhl the nhl. (betting ads, the boards, the terrible refs) and you just enjoy it cause you enjoy watching your team win. When your team isn’t winning, those things are lot more prevalent, because you aren’t even enjoying watching your team play anymore . Just my take on the whole thing.
The inconsistent calls have long driven me nuts, and not just in hockey. I foul is a foul, no matter the situation. Doesn't matter if it's a close game or a blowout, a game in mid-November or game 7 of the Finals, 10 minutes into the first or the final minute of the 3rd. Refs swallowing whistles because "they don't want to be the ones deciding the game" is them calling the game, and "you can't call that there" is nonsense, unless it's out of line with how the game has been called up to that point.
Yeah. The regular season is pointless if you have to play by different rules in the playoffs. No wonder the Presidents trophy teams don't win. Play one way or the other, but don't have different rules during the playoffs or on different nights. It's part of the game. Just be consistent. Also don't see any reason early round playoff series need to be 7 games, plus all the rest/travel days. The playoffs take too long.
@@stevef4010 as a fan of a team that famously blew a number of 3-1 series leads in the first and second round of the playoffs, I’m definitely on board with shortening to 5 game series
Blackouts completely lost me as a fan years ago. It was too frustrating, especially when the arena was sold out and its too far away for me to easily attend games without staying overnight. I'm watching parts of games now, just very casually and may not last. Don't know more than a couple of players and once that lack of familiarity was gone, its tough to regain. Leagues need to learn the lesson that blackouts lose fans, not fill arenas.
16:20 the REAL reason the nhl made the calculated move to put St. Louis in the winter classic is because they knew I’d end up buying all the new jerseys 👌🏻
I used to watch my team every single game good or bad. I haven't watched a game in the last 2 years. I was watching my team in the playoffs and I thought "why do I put up with this s*** ?" Turned off the TV, never went back. I still follow what my team is doing and if they win I watch the "game in 10" the next day on UA-cam. I don't think I'll ever watch a full game again.
Well, you can thank Gary Bettman for almost all of your 10 reasons!! I’ve been watching hockey for 60+ years, and it’s obviously changed drastically. Legalizing betting on sports, especially hockey, was imo a terrible decision. It opens up the possibility of players or refs being involved, which some think is already happening judging by the calls made or not made. I also think personal choices of what a player or organization want to support should be done outside the arena. We’re not paying to see their personal life choices or the agendas they support, but to watch them play hockey, and that’s all. I understand all your reasons, but you have to admit, it is a little odd for someone who makes so many great NHL jersey videos, to not even be watching that very sport. Have a great week!
Not playing everyday like the MLB, the ad breaks, whistles and interruptions is what turns me away. There was a recent Senators game I saw where there was no whistle blown for 15 minutes, almost every player on the benches were on there feet, and it made for intense/exciting hockey; I don't think that happens often in the games.
After not watching for a couple years, I recently got the bug again and wanted to watch some games. Came to find out the NHL has no streaming service. I don't have cable or satellite and I don't want to pay for ESPN just for hockey. So, I guess I won't watch hockey. Really surprising to me that there isn't a streaming app.
100% this is the biggest one for me as of late. On the helmets and jerseys is disgusting greed nothing more. It makes me sick. Like they don't have enough ad spots.
I used to be able name a lot of players on every team. Now I can't even name every team. Way too many teams, way too many games just like baseball. No one game is important now. Playoffs are far too long. In football, you play one game and you are in or out. Twenty eight playoff games possible to win the cup? That's both ridiculous and a complete money grab. Bettman is a lawyer not a hockey fan. $500 bucks for a man to take his kid to a hockey game? That's crazy. Sure you can pay $100 and use binoculars. I go to junior games. Great hockey, $20. You can have a beer and a hotdog without mortgaging your house.
ha ha, I'm like that too with knowing the players on different teams. I have a great line I use on comments sections when people start talking about who my team needs to make a trade for like they are one of the greatest players in the league... I always comment "never heard of him".
This year I’ve been recording games on my PVR and then skipping through all the commercials, and it’s made the experience so much better. Yes, it sucks I can’t watch the games live, but I can’t stand all the betting ads (and if I have to hear “in CHICAGO??” one more time I might break something), so it’s been a lot more bearable. I still agree with literally every other reason on your list though, the NHL as a whole has gotten so frustrating
Flyers fan here. The sports betting ads is number 1 on my list and I can't say I disagree with a lot of your points. For me most of those are nuisances. They bother me, I take issue with them, but they don't prevent me from watching. For me it's more about my team. I know last year with Fletcher as GM I stopped watching entirely until he was fired. Like you, I don't mind watching a bad team. But when the captain at the top sucks and it feels hopeless well then I can't be excited for trade deadlines, draft picks, next year etc. When Briere was hired I was excited again, and this year has been a ton of fun that was well needed after last year. Glad I'm not the only one who feels discouraged about the points you've made though. Maybe the viewership numbers will get them to change things. Fingers crossed.
Nice video. I was also a Habs fan and I really started watching Hockey in 1970-71 when they upset the Bruins on the way to the Cup after inserting Dryden in the lineup. You are spot on about the ads on the boards. I remember in 1979 during the Challenge Cup they had ads on the boards and CBS televised the games using weird angles so people could not view the ads. This was because CBS was not paid for the advertising. Now, after all these years we have gone in the complete opposite direction of having too many ads. The constant Sports Betting ads are truly annoying. Nobody seems to care as these companies turn all of North America into gambling addicts. The officiating as you said is very inconsistent in the NHL. They now have 2 referees and 2 linesman and video review, and they still make bad calls. How is that even possible? Gary Bettman has destroyed the concept of the Winter Classic games. This started as the Heritage Classic between the Habs & Oliers and was cool to watch. Now there are so many Winter Classic games that the product is diluted. And as you mentioned, the Blackhawks have been a part of many of them as have many of the U.S. based teams. I think that this is all part of Bettman's focused policy to push the U.S. franchises which he sees as the future of the league, and not the Canadian ones. I guess this is what one can expect from a guy who was hired in 1993 and never saw a Hockey game up to that time. Another thing that makes we want to stop watching the NHL is why are all the goaltenders playing on their knees? The RVH goalie position is supposed to be used to block close-in or wrap around shots. However, the goalies are using it for long range shots. Any shots that are high they cannot get to, and it is pathetic to see them try and jerk their shoulders upward to meet the shot. That is why everyone in the NHL shoots high today. What happened to when Goalies stood up and cut down the angle on the shooters? Terry Sawchuk and Martin Brodeur had over 100 shutouts using this method. I remember when Jaques Lemaire scored the long-distance goal on Tony Esposito in the 1970-71 Cup final which turned that series around. The announcers were wondering why Tony was on his knees when the shot was released. Today those announcers would say nothing.
I think the best thing the NHL has done is end the "support the cause" stuff. I don't care what the cause is, they have no place in sports. All it does is stir controversy and that controversy becomes bigger than the sport itself. Everyone is already aware of these awarenesses and causes anyway. The point of them is to cause a rift.
@SupplementalSense typical dogwhistling for: i don't want to see or deal with any issue that has no affect on my life, which means it's not important, therefore it doesn't exist. furthermore, i don't want to deal with any topics that make me feel uncomfortable. 😳
@@carparthero Okay then, what do you do about all these causes? When you see some player wearing a rainbow jersey for example, what does that prompt you do about the cause?
As a Bruins fan, this year, all the 100th anniversary specials appeal to the sentimentalist in me (I grew up with the Bobby Orr / Phil Esposito / Big Bad Bruins teams from the 1970s). I think fans who remember and those who look back have strong feelings about "old time hockey". Hockey is a different sport and culturally traditional event than most other sporting events. The massive expansion of the NHL in this modern era make those memories and feelings seem very distant. However the NHL can preserve and honor their own history would help draw in passionate new fans. Make the experience personal somehow. The more that the fan can be brought in to the experience on some sort of personal level, the better.
I would like to see if they can improve 3 on 3. For instance you enter the zone, you can’t take it back beyond the red line or there is a face off in your zone. It could forces action a bit more.
Same here. I live in San Antonio, Texas. I can watch every team except the Stars, which I try to follow. I got Bally sports for $20 a month, not a big deal, I can watch them now. Overall ESPN+ is great has all the other teams. I’m fairly new to hockey, I think it’s great.
The game is way less intense now. Late 70's into the early 2010's, the game was gritty and often nasty. The hits were huge and the fighters were tougher. For me the game has lost its edge-- Kings fan since 73
Aight here are my ten reasons 1. Gary Bettman (I had enough of his antics) 2. players safety doing the exact opposite 3. officiating 4. playoff systems 5. current tv rights (well tnt is fine but still) 6. No international hockey for almost a decade 7. Fanatics jersey deal 8. banning warm up themed jerseys 9. resisting the urge to grow the sport (which then helps grow the league) 10. trying to do basically what the nfl is doing….
My biggest grip with officiating is the time when penalties are not being called. If there is less than 10 minutes to go in the game and a team is down, there are rarely penalties called against that team who is down. And obvious calls. The refs don’t want to decide the outcome of the game but they do so by giving an advantage to the team that is down allowing them constant chances to come back. I also disagree with the suspensions and fines from the league, it’s bush league
Some great points mentioned here and it seems like many fans are frustrated. I stopped watching the NHL back in 2014 and got into junior hockey and never looked back. Whether it be the CHL, NCAA or supporting my local Junior A team I feel way more engaged following these leagues. This allows for me to still express my passion for the game but just through another avenue and I feel way more energized having done so
The quality of play is the #1 reason for me. I'm 57 and I've been blessed to see the NHL at its best (late 70s,80s to most of 90s). They should bring back home whites, we are going to purchase our teams gear no matter what, let us see the other teams jerseys. Players are robotic especially goalies. Golie equipment is out of control. If your driving up the wing when you look up there is nothing to shoot at, thus it has taken away the slap shot which in my opinion is one of the most exciting aspects of the game. The sport like most others is too technical. Camera views need to change up. I'd love to see 1 game, my Rangers at home in white against the Islanders both in their 80s unis. no adds on boards,no I pads, a 3/4 view with no announcers and to be able to hear the sounds of the game. Oh and with no score board taking up most of the screen. I would like to see ala cart viewing- I get to pick view, angle, score or no score, home or away broadcast, or no announcers and so on. I would pay for this. It would be cool to see the home team poll its fans on a game to game basis (home games obviously) what jerseys they will wear. I don't want to hear it can't be done, it can, especially in this day and age. I hate the schedule, I want to see rivalries brought back. We should play teams in our division more. I would love to see ( even if it's 1 year) the 1 to 16 playoff format back. It would be so cool to see Flyers vs Rangers Stanley cup or the many other examples. I don't want to hear about travel times, it can be done. I would do it, get rid of the Allstar game that no one cares about or shorten the season by 5 games. It would breathe new life into the game. I have a ton of suggestions, the problem is that I think of the fans they think of the owners pockets.
" They should bring back home whites, " I watched hockey as a kid, through the Islanders dynasty and about up till David Volek put two past Barrasso on the short side to eliminate the Penguins.....and I only started paying attention again when Klefbom RANG!!! one off the post against the Sharks.....so I missed when and why they went to home dark uniforms. Please to explain....?
@@michaelzilkowsky2936 they did it because of the third jerseys. They said it was difficult for the road team to carry both jerseys on the road, in case the home team wore third jersey. Our favorite team should wear third jerseys on the road so the rest of the league can see them and wear white at home. I have been on a crusade to bring back home whites. My prediction- my favorite team( NY Rangers )will win the cup when they go back to home whites.
@@ravespartalive6496 i have never heard of third jerseys. And if a team is on the road, wtf would they need to drag along home jerseys? My favorite is (or was) Islanders, thanks to Mike Bossy. I used to drive cab here and there was an NHL exhibition game and I picked up from a hotel John Davidson for a ride to the rink. I asked him what it was like playing against Bossy, he said 'you know what he is going to do but you can't stop him.' lol
I agree that the sports betting adds are getting frustrating. Just so many of them and also I think its quite dangerous because gambling addictions are a serious issue for some people. Some adds are fine but to the level we are seeing them is just crazy. But, from what I've read, NHL viewership is actually up from last year by about 10%.
Those are all good reasons and I'm not going to knock them because I'm feeling pretty much the same way with my reasons being a bit different. I've watched and played a lot of hockey over the years but now it's a struggle. Why? I'm not 100% sure but I'll give it a try. Today's hockey is very high level and high tech. The players have become too big and too fast for the same size ice and I find it difficult to follow the play the way I'd like to or the way it was in another hey day perhaps. That's why I enjoy the Spengler Cup over Christmas so much. The players are fast and skillful but the ice is bigger and you can see the plays being made and that is a big part of the enjoyment of the game for me. Bobby Orr once said they should put the centre line back in as a 2 line pass infraction and I sort of agree but it's either that or the bigger ice. One other thing sort of minor is I grew up watching as a Habs fan too and I miss the dark sweaters as their away sweaters. The Habs dark sweater is the most unique sweater design in sport and it was a real source of pride when they would beat other teams in their own buildings. The sweater was to be remembered when they came to town.
As a Jackets fan, I have had a difficult time with paying attention this season. I was extremely heavily into it for about two months, and then a switch flipped and I could not motivate myself to keep following this team closely. There are a few other things in my life that were distracting me, and another important factor is that I moved away from Ohio and no longer am going to Jackets games regularly. But the main reason is, the team.
I agree with you at 100 % i just watch highlights anymore, a whole game is way too long to watch, i have the sense of losing my time. I'm also a MTL fan and this is right : they sucks. I often had the feeling of being fooled by the NHL. Thanks for giving me the feeling that i wasn't alone.
I agree with you 100% I love my Isles for sure and I do watch them all the time but I really can relate to what you say it is really sad and has gone too far with all the ads and the gambling promotions.
Yes, you’re right - but he’s mainly an NHL/Hockey fan. He went from watching full games every day to not watching a full game for a full season. What the MLB, NFL, NBA, MLS, etc does isn’t really pertinent to his background or interests.
Very similar checklist. I find listening to the games on the radio more enjoyable. Watching on television is frustrating. Often announcers running off at the mouth and not calling the game.Betting lines appearing in the scoreboard box in the upper part of screen. Etc...
I really haven't watched hockey much in the past decade since the AHL team moved from my home city in 2013, but I started watching more during the last playoffs and this season I started following the Stars since they are the closest teaam to me and I look forward to watching as many games as I can now. I can see how it can be frustrating with teams changing regional networks and some going bankrupt or not getting carriage deals with certain cable providers we went through it here in my home city and the nba and mlb teams were only on one provider for multiple seasons.
I like how they used the whole blackout thing.....like they kinda in a way did stick by their promise that......like before the SPORTSNET/ROGERS contract they barely showed games from the US games unless its national televised in the US but now SPORTSNET show alot of not even nationally televised US games.....and ppl think it was about "oh s*** i can now watch the HABS even tho im in Van"
My love for the game heavily outweighs these minor issues. I hate blackouts as well, so I made myself buy the NHL Center Ice and now I get every single game. I know it sucks having to pay extra, but it is what it is right now.
This is a terrific video. You are not the only me feeling this way. The blackouts drive me nuts in all sports. If we are paying for a service, we should get all of the games. The 3 leagues that do this to their fans show that they don’t care about their viewers at all. I agree with all of the other points, too though.
I'm a Penguins fan from Kansas but I only watch cable coz I can't afford the streaming stuff & I barely get to watch My favorite team so I don't really watch the NHL other then when it's on cable (which is not very often for me)
Honestly I tend to listen to the games more than actually watching them . I went to two dozen games during the 2021 & 22/23 seasons and this season 23/24I have been to 6 games and I and have two games left for the season and I don't think with the ever rising cost of tickets I will be able to afford to go next season. At all I do hope to still get to 3 or 4 games but I don't see it happening
I went to the Redwings home opener at the LCA with our son. But, we got the tickets for free from someone who has season tickets, and wasn’t going. But if it was just me, and I have been a hockey fan since childhood, I wouldn’t spend a dime on it. 👎 It’s the gambling 🎰 Or rather the hypocrisy of penalizing players for gambling on something that isn’t their sport, IN ANY SPORT, while they all have completely sold out to the gambling industry. That, And I am completely over being beaten to death with WOKE politics! No more rainbows!!! These people have made me hate rainbows!!! 🌈 That And I can’t stand Betteman!
Doc Emrick retiring has been my number one reason for not watching as much hockey. His calls brought such life to the sport, no one currently calling games can even hold a candle.
Great video, excellent points man. I should be going to more WHL games, the talent in there is wild. These young men are mega talented. The Red Deer Rebels have had serious players go through their system.
How did the Sharks become your second-favorite team? I have heard random people from around North America say they like the Sharks ever since they were a kid. Usually its because they liked the Shark theme with the logo, teal uniform, and the big shark jaws that the players skate enter the rink through. Its like the Sharks P.R. department were specifically targeting kids when they decided to pick their logo and it was remarkably successful. Many of those kids are now adults and still like the Sharks. Regarding the shootout & overtime, i would rather they just end the game after regulation and bring back the tie. There is nothing wrong with ties during the regular season. Soccer has ties and is doing perfectly fine. Eliminating overtime during the regular season would actually make overtime more meaningful during the playoffs. Its hard enough to stay up late for an entire regular season game without overtime. Typically when a random game in December goes to overtime, I just get irritated and want the game to end so I can go to bed.
Really good points and I agree with almost all that you said. I hate the ads on the boards you have ads on the ice themselves, before electronic boards you had stationary ads on the boards, you have tv ads during breaks in play, you have the announcers reading commercials during the game and that still is not enough they now have to have electronic boards so they can do multiple commercials on the board while the game is going on it's getting ridiculous. More so then board ads are ads on jerseys. The jerseys are suppose to be sacred, for 100+ years there was no ads on the jerseys and anyone that has seen European leagues their jerseys are littered with ads and looking awful. I remember some times when fans threw jerseys on the ice and players and coaches saying in interviews how mad they were and that the jerseys are sacred and eluding to the jersey should be respected. Yet NHL now no longer respects their jerseys, with these ads on them they are nothing but product placement and this has almost made me boycott the NHL. If they ever put 1 more ad on a jersey I will be quitting watching the NHL. I also want to say that the Stadium games use to be something exciting when you got one maybe 2 a year in the NHL. Now there is like 5 or 6 every year and it has already lost it's luster for me. For me it's just another game and not exciting and new anymore. Also I find that the fans are so far away in the Stadium games that it almost looks like they are playing in front of no fans and you don't hear alot of cheers and crowd noise in the stadium games. I don't know why the NHL doesn't bring the fans in closer to the ice like WWE brings fans in close to the ring during WM at the stadiums, NHL could sell more tickets and it would look better on tv.
Yeah the digital adverts really are offputting - completely wiping out the in-rink adverts of one team's rink and putting in that of their opponents just feels like an exercise in dishonesty. The betting adverts are obnoxious too - let me enjoy the game, I don't want to put a couple of quid "on the outcome" of the match, I want to enjoy a game, not rue losing those few bucks because I was two goals out from winning however much - that's not what I watch sport for.
CAN'T stand how even the announcers do the betting odds it's sickening. It's all money and greed like everything. Digital add boards advertising on helmets and shirts, it is all greed . And you and I pay for it all ,one way or another. ALL SPORTS have gotten out of hand on what players make and owners it is out of control.
blackouts and cost?… i’ve been watching the NHL on free websites for the past couple years now… zero blackouts, and zero dollars….i can’t understand why people pay to watch….you click on any game, and all you gutta do is X out like 5-6 pop-ups and then the game plays just like it does on tv with no more interruptions
As a matter of principle, I don’t watch these hacked streaming site, because it’s illegal to do so. I work in a business where we have copyrights and ethics. It would be hypocritical for me to do otherwise.
Totally agree with almost each of your points, but I’ll add on another that you may or may not relate to… as I get older, and I’m only 28, I find it harder to really pay attention to an NHL game. I work 60-80 hours a week as a physician and don’t always have the energy or patience to sit down and really focus on an NHL game on TV for 3 hours. I can flip on a baseball game (huge baseball fan), football game, or even basketball game and work or rest - looking up to tune in for a half inning, a drive, a critical play, or the last 20 minutes of a game and enjoy myself. With hockey, that’s a lot harder because of all the constant action and quick scoring plays. Those are reasons why I love hockey and still go to games when I can, but also why it’s hard to really watch on TV unless it’s a big game.
10 Reasons Why I Don't Watch NHL Hockey Anymore
1) I'm a Sabres fan.
2) I'm a Sabres fan.
3) I'm a Sabres fan.
4) I'm a Sabres fan.
5) I'm a Sabres fan.
6) I'm a Sabres fan.
7) I'm a Sabres fan.
8) I'm a Sabres fan.
9) I'm a Sabres fan.
10) I'm a Sabres fan.
could be worse, could be a hurricanes fan
@@kevinmorrice What is wrong being an Hurricanes fan ?
@kevinmorrice Nah the Chicago Blackhawks 😂
That's redundant. Hey, at least you have the Buffalo Bills.
Ugh same
Sports betting is the worst part about sports now. They all have been corrupted to some extent.
Gambling has always been corrupt which is why it has been historically illegal and one of the most talked about addictions in line with drugs and alcohol.
@@CNSPORTZEDITZ It needs strong regulation(you can only bet x amount a week/month) if not a ban.
The main reason I don’t watch advertisements anymore is because they keep getting interrupted by hockey games.
What bothers me most about the digital ads is that they've replaced those cool on ice logos that they did for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and for the first couple weeks of the regular season that were just inside the blueline. The playoffs really felt like the playoffs when you saw that big Stanley Cup Playoffs logo there but now there's an ad for KIA, great.
Agreed!
100% agree with this
@@dennissousa9212Me too, I was so befuddled as to why they removed it. It made zero sense
helmets look trash too, this league has made it clear literally everything is for sale!
The nhl is on tv with ESPN now which Disney owns a part of it and Disney is all just a show
I have been watching hockey even more because my five and three year old daughters love watching it with me. Every day now the three year old will ask me “what teams are on tonight” it’s the best! ❤
I’m happy for you 👍
I hope that lasts.
It won’t
But I wish you luck 🍀
Thats awesome!! Enjoy it while it lasts
@@marklambert4793 💀
Preach! All I want to do is drink a glass of scotch after work and WATCH THE WILD, WHILE LIVING IN MINNESOTA, without having to give Bally naming right to my next child.
AGREED!!
I mean really. they're getting they're money one way or another it just drives me nuts.
I would have to agree with Neil on this. The blackouts are so fusterating. If I'm paying money to watch there shouldn't be blackouts.
I cant even believe blackouts are still a thing today
Don't be such a cheapskate. Buy a Sports package. Mine costs about 30 bucks a month and I get ALL NHL games PLUS MLB, NBA, and even U.S. college basketball. You're like the little old lady at the grocery checkout counter who can't believe prices have risen since 1956.
Ya man, I'm pissed, I wanted to watch my Canucks play the Wild the other day but couldn't because the game was blocked in my region even tho I'm paying for it.
@floxy20 has nothing to do with being cheap, u fool. U buy cable and it's blacked out. U buy gamecenter and it's blacked out.
@@floxy20 I don't want to watch other sports
The ads are bad they took away the faceoff and playoff ice logos for ads💀
My reasons 1-10:
I don’t have cable TV anymore
Get espn +. It’s like $10 a month. You can watch 90% of the games minus the local team to you.
..I watch online. I can pick any game I want to watch..no cost too!
I used to get Avs games on cable, but Krinkie got rid of Altitude sports on cable. But I’m a Canucks fan either way. Avs are my #2 tho since I’m a Colorado native
@@timsmith428where ? On pirated, virus sites
Big Nigga Bally is the issue...
Most of these things could also be said about the other major sports.
I don't watch basketball any more. I find it boring.
As a hockey fan and a baseball fan I hate the blackouts and the fact that you can't watch your favorite teams games on your cable provider because they don't carry the channel. Like for instance I'm a Preds fan and a Braves fan with UA-cam TV and I can't watch the games without a Bally Sports subscription to watch the Preds and I can't watch the Braves at all without an MLB TV subscription and a VPN. It's highly annoying
ESPN Plus or Hulu has games.
*Hey I want to watch this out of market game*
"You need this several hundred dollar subscription for that"
*Hey I want to watch this in market game*
"Sorry it's been blacked out"
*But I can watch it because I got that expensive subscription advertised to give me every game right*
"...NO"
The MLB especially shoots itself in the foot with it. I feel like it's such a chore to watch a ball game. It's the longest season & the slowest sport, and I know they are worried about viewership decline. Would probably help if folks could watch the games.
@@stephendacey8761 IDK about other markets but I live in Colorado, have ESPN+, and the Avs games are still blocked. Ive also tried a VPN and that hasn't worked either.
My wife is a Padres fan. We live in Cardinals, Rangers, Astros "territory." I'm a Rangers fan. We don't live anywhere near our teams. Blackouts in the 21st Century are ridiculou$.
i used to pay for ESPN+ but the blackouts were so annoying i didn't renew my subscription and i just pirate all the games now. it's frustrating bc i have no prob paying but if they want to make it difficult ill just go the easier route
1. Rogers
2. A big hug fight scrum after every hit. Even if you string your own guy out and he gets nailed, you are obligated to hug the guy that hit him.
3. Digital Ads
4. No Coach’s Corner
5. Dumb fans banging on the glass thinking it does something besides blocking the view.
6. Reviews slowing down the game.
7. Lack of technology in those reviews. No puck sensors to determine goals. Potato vision cameras to review those goals.
8. Too many outdoor gimmick games.
9. Sports betting everywhere.
10. Helmet ads.
Nailed it
Helmet ads pisses me off
Coach's Corner sucked
PREACH
I did cut down on my hockey watching, and sports watching in general. There are other important things to worry about than the results of a game. I do enjoy attending live hockey though. I live very close to UBS Arena to where I can get a cheap enough ticket last minute, I will go.
commercials breaks are a pain in... it takes 3 hours to tell a 1 hour story. As a Swiss, I keep watching Swiss games, because they last only 2 hours. Well, the level is lower, but in the end, the experience is better. The flip side of the coin are the jerseys covered by sponsors.
The NHL is trying to catch up with advertisements now.
💯 agree with you on the gambling BS . Ads in general just bore the stuffing outta me .
It’s easier to watch pirated streams than it is to pay for them.
I live in the Netherlands and can watch every single match on a streaming site for free. HD, no lagging, and free of any charge
@@NeptuneTowersyea alot of people don't know this that are die hard canadian hockey fans.
@@NeptuneTowersit's such a life saver
I do that also and i live in Sweden.
I watch Blackhawks when i don't need to work early.
Do you know a decent streaming site? The one I used to use got taken down.
As far as digital boards, I have a nit pick complaint on why I don't like them. I honestly enjoyed seeing the local ads. I don't know why exactly. But it probably has something to do with loving to travel, and explore. Just felt like you got a little taste of the local flavors with the local ads. Felt like part of the arena. It increased more as I traveled more & started recognizing the businesses. Like "hey that's that place we stopped at in ___" , or "Oh we saw so many of those in that city" It was also cool going to an NHL city for the first time and already recognizing some local spots, and saying hey I want to check that place out they've sponsored the ___s for years now. Further more I lived outside of my home town for a decade, it was nice to get a glimpse of home watching the games.
I know what you mean. I remember growing up in the '90s, the Yankees and Rangers always had "Nobody Beats The Wiz" ads up in the stadium and arena. And I always pondered who that was. But no other teams promoted them.
@@fantasticvoyage262 The Wiz! Wow that is a deep cut of Northeast lore. It's an old eletronics store chain. A few other teams outside of the NY market did have them but it was mostly in like Philly or Baltimore. Like the Northeast/New England/Mid-Atlantic corridor. I'm from Buffalo I don't think k they ever advertised there. But we're a small market that is harder to break into (especially in those days) because we have many of our own homegrown chains that dominate WNY & the Buffalo area (Some of which would spread to the rest of the country/world like Wegmans or New Era cap). So what (comparatively) little money there is to be made there is not easy to win over because of regional loyalty.
@@fantasticvoyage262 you got me feeling nostalgic so I was looking into it, apparently they briefly associated with the Habs so they broke into the Quebec market, at least for a little while.
@@TRZN91 So that was the actual name of the company? Or just some marketing slogan? Every time I saw it, my mind kept churning. Because we didn't have them in the Midwest.
@@fantasticvoyage262 The name was "The Wiz" they used the "nobody beats" slogan & logo until like the late 90s/early 2000s I think.
1. The digital boards drive me crazy.
2. The network/streaming app the games are on change every game.
3. Less emphasis on the inherent excitement of the game. More emphasis on constant stimulation both on the tv and live at the games
Those are mine.
to eliminate tanking the league can implement "draft points" as soon as u are eliminated from the playoff contention. every win is worth points, which ever team has the most points get #1 draft. (usually will be the worst team cos they get eliminated early)
This is actually a very good idea.
Ducks need a rebrand. I hate the uniforms
Most of the teams needs a rebrand
Bruins messed their jerseys up so bad. I'm not a fan but it's so dumb.
@@Nickh4929 are you talking about the Bruins 100 anniversary jerseys? They're only wearing those for this season
@@JPS47 thank God those are so bad
@@Nickh4929I want them to keep the older style spoked B just not in the glittery gold. I want yellow socks back for the home uniforms too even though they don’t match as good, to me it’s just an iconic bruins look
As a longtime NHL fan, I too have noticed the exponential increase in betting ads during NHL games. One does have to wonder how this affects the overall integrity of the game and how this contributes to the overall percentage of viewers developing gambling addictions.
Completely agree. The amount of rampant open promotion and encouragement of gambling in the NHL (and NFL) is out of control. It’s makes me lose all passion for what I’m watching. It really is encouraging bad addictive behavior that can destroy families and lives.
Another great video thats well done. Just as a request please do a video collaboration with The Hockey Guy. The both of you are by far the most knowledgeable with jerseys. I would love to hear conversations with each other regarding the game as well.
the betting ads between whistles and commercial breaks was bad enough. then they started throwing them all over the digital boards which was annoying, AND THEN these huge popups mid play that get in the way while im trying to watch the f'in game... ridiculous
I just miss the rivalry hockey. I’m a pens fan and my best friend is a flyers fan and we went to a game where the penguins just pumped the flyers 7-0 and nothing happened. Hardly any hits and no fights
Hockey just isn't the same anymore. I miss the grittyness to it and it seems like it's become too bland now. Also the shootouts and giving a point for an overtime loss is just ridiculous. Bring back ties in the regular season. What's the big deal. There are no ties in the playoffs.
This is me man. I haven't watched the NHL for any more than 5 minutes at a time the past two seasons because every time I do I last about 5 minutes because of the darn digital advertising. It is always stuttering. You lose the puck. You can't keep up with the play. What's the point of all these stupid digital ads if people are turning it off. It's costing you viewers.
meh... that was a fair point last year but this year it is flawless. you can easily just ignore it.
I’m in the same boat as you, and it comes down to two reasons: how expensive it is to get the online subscription, and blackouts. I got the subscription in the Covid year because I was hyped to see the Canadian division. Turned out to be a horrible mistake because, since I’m from Saskatchewan, I have 3 “home” teams: Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg. Meaning any game with one of those 3 teams I couldn’t watch! Such a load of crap. I’m a law abiding guy, but that makes me want to go out and watch pirated games. If it was free or even just more affordable I’d watch a lot more games
Pirated games are the only way to go
Digital ads are great. You don't want to see a car driving around the boards while you're watching the game?😁
I watched a ton of hockey in college (coincidentally during your video a day streak) as it was my way of staying grounded from my studies, especially as I turned my hobby into my full time work. I'm watching less now of other teams now, but I am watching mine and my wife's favourite teams at least twice a week as just a way of relaxing. I do now work with a Jr A team in my city, so hockey has also worked its way into my work, but I can't be more than happy to do it.
Blackouts are frustrating, but nothing was worse than going to watch a flames home game on Saturday night in 2007, only to learn it was PPV.
Broke or not a person should always have their backbone and stand on what they believe in. I’m glad that you do. It lets me know the world hasn’t completely lost it.
Same dude. As a king fan I can’t watch My kings , Ducks , and knights due to blacks out. I live in LA how can I not watch Vegas games 😂
When I was a kid I remember watching Guy Lafleur on tv
I agree with your reasons to not watch, some of these things like the Sports Betting, Digital Boards, fairness from the league and NHLPA are a headache. Being a Panthers fan living in Texas, I can watch most of my teams out of market games, but I agree 100% with you about blackouts needing to go. Hang in there and maybe root for the Cats this season in the Playoffs! ;)
I appreciate your comments, and have been watching your channel here and there for a few years now. As far as your grievance about these gambling sites and all the ways they advertise I agree with you whole heartedly. I first noticed this several years ago when one of these gambling sites sponsored a radio show about gambling and gave tips on which games were the best to bet on. I have always thought this was far beyond what sports media should be doing. However I am sure you may recall how beer companies and alcohol companies used to dominate advertising of sporting events and teams. Please let me inform you that I did not follow your show because of those shirts you would give away, as I never even attempted to win one, I simply loved your knowledge and love for what was obviously a passion, and one which got me into a small hobby of collecting Hockey Jerseys now (I will say I have always loved sports team Jerseys and, used to have a few Football and baseball Jerseys over the years, but since watching your shows, I now have over 10 Hockey Jerseys (and growing) and look forward to expanding that collection. (maybe not as extensive as yours )
As far as the blackouts go, this has been an issue for decades, this is not anything new. It used to be that if a professional team did not sell out the arena then the game would be blacked out in that area. Of course this has to do with revenues for the teams and the thought that people would not go to the games if they could watch them for "free" on tv. This attitude has changed somewhat over the years.
However if you want to watch any game around the world, subscribe to a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which will mask what your real location is and have your computer/tv show up as being in a completely different region or country. This way you can show up as being from western Canada (for example) and thus not being in the blackout zone for the Habs. This way you will be able to watch any hockey game on your paid service like. I agree with you that it feels like we are being ripped off by paying an extra fee to get a hockey package and not being able to watch all the games. Please note that a VPN is perfectly legal
I used to watch every game of my favorite team when I lived with my parents. Because they have cable. I don’t have cable and only have streaming services. All games I want to watch are blacked out, unless they are nationally televised. Which is probably 5 games a year. As a professional league, you can’t seriously expect viewership to rise, when you limit viewership from the new style of media (streaming).
I'm a huge hockey fan, but I haven't been able to watch any NHL this year either. Couldn't agree more with some of the points you've made such as blackouts and especially the ad boards as I have a concussion and those definitely make it hard to watch without getting a headache, theyre also extremely distracting. Sucks that the NHL is so money hungry. All they talk about is "growing the game" yet they don't let you watch games because you're in a specific region. It comes across as hypocritical and fake. I'm glad you were able to point out many of these issues, hopefully more people see this and take note of these issues.
Heal up soon buddy,
@@Cody.Tafoya thanks bro appreciate it
At least the NFL isn't greedy.
@@stephendacey8761 lol sure
Lol its scripted@stephendacey8761
Although I tend to agree with all of these you mentioned. I think it’s easier than a top 10 reason. I feel your number 4 reason is the key to why a lot of people don’t watch hockey. And it’s how there team is playing.
If your team is good, you overlook all the little annoyances that make the nhl the nhl. (betting ads, the boards, the terrible refs) and you just enjoy it cause you enjoy watching your team win. When your team isn’t winning, those things are lot more prevalent, because you aren’t even enjoying watching your team play anymore .
Just my take on the whole thing.
The inconsistent calls have long driven me nuts, and not just in hockey. I foul is a foul, no matter the situation. Doesn't matter if it's a close game or a blowout, a game in mid-November or game 7 of the Finals, 10 minutes into the first or the final minute of the 3rd. Refs swallowing whistles because "they don't want to be the ones deciding the game" is them calling the game, and "you can't call that there" is nonsense, unless it's out of line with how the game has been called up to that point.
Yeah. The regular season is pointless if you have to play by different rules in the playoffs. No wonder the Presidents trophy teams don't win. Play one way or the other, but don't have different rules during the playoffs or on different nights. It's part of the game. Just be consistent. Also don't see any reason early round playoff series need to be 7 games, plus all the rest/travel days. The playoffs take too long.
@@stevef4010 as a fan of a team that famously blew a number of 3-1 series leads in the first and second round of the playoffs, I’m definitely on board with shortening to 5 game series
Blackouts completely lost me as a fan years ago. It was too frustrating, especially when the arena was sold out and its too far away for me to easily attend games without staying overnight. I'm watching parts of games now, just very casually and may not last. Don't know more than a couple of players and once that lack of familiarity was gone, its tough to regain. Leagues need to learn the lesson that blackouts lose fans, not fill arenas.
16:20 the REAL reason the nhl made the calculated move to put St. Louis in the winter classic is because they knew I’d end up buying all the new jerseys 👌🏻
If there’s still no score after 5 minutes of 1v1, do the goalies then just shoot the puck back and forth at each other.
10 reasons as a stars fan that I don’t watch nhl hockey anymore:
Bally
Bally
Bally
Bally
Bally
Bally
Bally
Bally
Bally
Bally
You forgot Bally. Easy mistake.
@@Rthomp02 lol
I fuckin hate Bally. Can’t watch the god damn games
Whether you make a video daily, weekly, or monthly we appreciate your content.
100 % with you brother .... A Redwing Fan...
I used to watch my team every single game good or bad. I haven't watched a game in the last 2 years. I was watching my team in the playoffs and I thought "why do I put up with this s*** ?" Turned off the TV, never went back. I still follow what my team is doing and if they win I watch the "game in 10" the next day on UA-cam. I don't think I'll ever watch a full game again.
Well, you can thank Gary Bettman for almost all of your 10 reasons!!
I’ve been watching hockey for 60+ years, and it’s obviously changed drastically.
Legalizing betting on sports, especially hockey, was imo a terrible decision. It opens up the possibility of players or refs being involved, which some think is already happening judging by the calls made or not made.
I also think personal choices of what a player or organization want to support should be done outside the arena. We’re not paying to see their personal life choices or the agendas they support, but to watch them play hockey, and that’s all.
I understand all your reasons, but you have to admit, it is a little odd for someone who makes so many great NHL jersey videos, to not even be watching that very sport.
Have a great week!
The woke crap is disgusting. Nashville having child grooming night with drag shows
Not playing everyday like the MLB, the ad breaks, whistles and interruptions is what turns me away. There was a recent Senators game I saw where there was no whistle blown for 15 minutes, almost every player on the benches were on there feet, and it made for intense/exciting hockey; I don't think that happens often in the games.
NHL has never played every day and they cant because it is a far more physical game than baseball where guys sit on their ass for most of it.
If you're team is good, you watch. It's that simple.
After not watching for a couple years, I recently got the bug again and wanted to watch some games. Came to find out the NHL has no streaming service. I don't have cable or satellite and I don't want to pay for ESPN just for hockey. So, I guess I won't watch hockey. Really surprising to me that there isn't a streaming app.
How about the advertising on Uniforms???? I don't care How Much Money their getting that's just F***ing Wrong.
100% this is the biggest one for me as of late. On the helmets and jerseys is disgusting greed nothing more. It makes me sick. Like they don't have enough ad spots.
I used to be able name a lot of players on every team. Now I can't even name every team. Way too many teams, way too many games just like baseball. No one game is important now. Playoffs are far too long. In football, you play one game and you are in or out. Twenty eight playoff games possible to win the cup? That's both ridiculous and a complete money grab. Bettman is a lawyer not a hockey fan. $500 bucks for a man to take his kid to a hockey game? That's crazy. Sure you can pay $100 and use binoculars. I go to junior games. Great hockey, $20. You can have a beer and a hotdog without mortgaging your house.
ha ha, I'm like that too with knowing the players on different teams. I have a great line I use on comments sections when people start talking about who my team needs to make a trade for like they are one of the greatest players in the league... I always comment "never heard of him".
@@RedroomStudios love that!!!!!!!!!!
This year I’ve been recording games on my PVR and then skipping through all the commercials, and it’s made the experience so much better. Yes, it sucks I can’t watch the games live, but I can’t stand all the betting ads (and if I have to hear “in CHICAGO??” one more time I might break something), so it’s been a lot more bearable. I still agree with literally every other reason on your list though, the NHL as a whole has gotten so frustrating
Flyers fan here. The sports betting ads is number 1 on my list and I can't say I disagree with a lot of your points. For me most of those are nuisances. They bother me, I take issue with them, but they don't prevent me from watching. For me it's more about my team. I know last year with Fletcher as GM I stopped watching entirely until he was fired. Like you, I don't mind watching a bad team. But when the captain at the top sucks and it feels hopeless well then I can't be excited for trade deadlines, draft picks, next year etc. When Briere was hired I was excited again, and this year has been a ton of fun that was well needed after last year. Glad I'm not the only one who feels discouraged about the points you've made though. Maybe the viewership numbers will get them to change things. Fingers crossed.
Nice video. I was also a Habs fan and I really started watching Hockey in 1970-71 when they upset the Bruins on the way to the Cup after inserting Dryden in the lineup.
You are spot on about the ads on the boards. I remember in 1979 during the Challenge Cup they had ads on the boards and CBS televised the games using weird angles so people could not view the ads. This was because CBS was not paid for the advertising. Now, after all these years we have gone in the complete opposite direction of having too many ads.
The constant Sports Betting ads are truly annoying. Nobody seems to care as these companies turn all of North America into gambling addicts.
The officiating as you said is very inconsistent in the NHL. They now have 2 referees and 2 linesman and video review, and they still make bad calls. How is that even possible?
Gary Bettman has destroyed the concept of the Winter Classic games. This started as the Heritage Classic between the Habs & Oliers and was cool to watch. Now there are so many Winter Classic games that the product is diluted. And as you mentioned, the Blackhawks have been a part of many of them as have many of the U.S. based teams. I think that this is all part of Bettman's focused policy to push the U.S. franchises which he sees as the future of the league, and not the Canadian ones. I guess this is what one can expect from a guy who was hired in 1993 and never saw a Hockey game up to that time.
Another thing that makes we want to stop watching the NHL is why are all the goaltenders playing on their knees? The RVH goalie position is supposed to be used to block close-in or wrap around shots. However, the goalies are using it for long range shots. Any shots that are high they cannot get to, and it is pathetic to see them try and jerk their shoulders upward to meet the shot. That is why everyone in the NHL shoots high today. What happened to when Goalies stood up and cut down the angle on the shooters? Terry Sawchuk and Martin Brodeur had over 100 shutouts using this method. I remember when Jaques Lemaire scored the long-distance goal on Tony Esposito in the 1970-71 Cup final which turned that series around. The announcers were wondering why Tony was on his knees when the shot was released. Today those announcers would say nothing.
I think the best thing the NHL has done is end the "support the cause" stuff. I don't care what the cause is, they have no place in sports. All it does is stir controversy and that controversy becomes bigger than the sport itself. Everyone is already aware of these awarenesses and causes anyway. The point of them is to cause a rift.
@SupplementalSense typical dogwhistling for: i don't want to see or deal with any issue that has no affect on my life, which means it's not important, therefore it doesn't exist. furthermore, i don't want to deal with any topics that make me feel uncomfortable. 😳
@@carparthero Okay then, what do you do about all these causes? When you see some player wearing a rainbow jersey for example, what does that prompt you do about the cause?
100% - keep politics and social issues out of sports!
As a Bruins fan, this year, all the 100th anniversary specials appeal to the sentimentalist in me (I grew up with the Bobby Orr / Phil Esposito / Big Bad Bruins teams from the 1970s). I think fans who remember and those who look back have strong feelings about "old time hockey". Hockey is a different sport and culturally traditional event than most other sporting events. The massive expansion of the NHL in this modern era make those memories and feelings seem very distant. However the NHL can preserve and honor their own history would help draw in passionate new fans. Make the experience personal somehow. The more that the fan can be brought in to the experience on some sort of personal level, the better.
Even the bruins are inconsistent. Even my other team the islanders the same. Weird stuff has been happening in all sports.
I hate the fans begging for stuff with signs the most.
Forbid signs in the stands.
It needs to stop.
100%
I would like to see if they can improve 3 on 3. For instance you enter the zone, you can’t take it back beyond the red line or there is a face off in your zone. It could forces action a bit more.
Blackouts are the worst. At least I can watch my Islanders in North Carolina, but I can’t watch the Canes
I watch ESPN+ and get every team broadcast game but in your region of a team, they are blocked.
This, and it's a pain because I'm in the region of THREE teams, all of which I actually like so I can't catch 'em.
Same here. I live in San Antonio, Texas. I can watch every team except the Stars, which I try to follow. I got Bally sports for $20 a month, not a big deal, I can watch them now. Overall ESPN+ is great has all the other teams. I’m fairly new to hockey, I think it’s great.
They do that intentionally to piss you off. There can be no other reason for it.
The game is way less intense now. Late 70's into the early 2010's, the game was gritty and often nasty. The hits were huge and the fighters were tougher. For me the game has lost its edge-- Kings fan since 73
My brother gets the Pens games blacked out so he just pirates the games. Yeah they are illegal sites but you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.
Excellent video. You've explained yourself coherently and you made interesting points. Thanks for your content, Neil!
Aight here are my ten reasons
1. Gary Bettman (I had enough of his antics)
2. players safety doing the exact opposite
3. officiating
4. playoff systems
5. current tv rights (well tnt is fine but still)
6. No international hockey for almost a decade
7. Fanatics jersey deal
8. banning warm up themed jerseys
9. resisting the urge to grow the sport (which then helps grow the league)
10. trying to do basically what the nfl is doing….
Yeah, Bettman has been commissioner since 1993. Way past time for a change
@@mikemackay86 100% shakey is a scmbag milking it for all it's worth.
@@mikemackay86And not one Canadian team has been Stanley Cup Champs since he started. Suspish.
My biggest grip with officiating is the time when penalties are not being called. If there is less than 10 minutes to go in the game and a team is down, there are rarely penalties called against that team who is down. And obvious calls. The refs don’t want to decide the outcome of the game but they do so by giving an advantage to the team that is down allowing them constant chances to come back.
I also disagree with the suspensions and fines from the league, it’s bush league
Some great points mentioned here and it seems like many fans are frustrated. I stopped watching the NHL back in 2014 and got into junior hockey and never looked back. Whether it be the CHL, NCAA or supporting my local Junior A team I feel way more engaged following these leagues. This allows for me to still express my passion for the game but just through another avenue and I feel way more energized having done so
The quality of play is the #1 reason for me. I'm 57 and I've been blessed to see the NHL at its best (late 70s,80s to most of 90s). They should bring back home whites, we are going to purchase our teams gear no matter what, let us see the other teams jerseys. Players are robotic especially goalies. Golie equipment is out of control. If your driving up the wing when you look up there is nothing to shoot at, thus it has taken away the slap shot which in my opinion is one of the most exciting aspects of the game. The sport like most others is too technical. Camera views need to change up. I'd love to see 1 game, my Rangers at home in white against the Islanders both in their 80s unis. no adds on boards,no I pads, a 3/4 view with no announcers and to be able to hear the sounds of the game. Oh and with no score board taking up most of the screen. I would like to see ala cart viewing- I get to pick view, angle, score or no score, home or away broadcast, or no announcers and so on. I would pay for this. It would be cool to see the home team poll its fans on a game to game basis (home games obviously) what jerseys they will wear. I don't want to hear it can't be done, it can, especially in this day and age. I hate the schedule, I want to see rivalries brought back. We should play teams in our division more. I would love to see ( even if it's 1 year) the 1 to 16 playoff format back. It would be so cool to see Flyers vs Rangers Stanley cup or the many other examples. I don't want to hear about travel times, it can be done. I would do it, get rid of the Allstar game that no one cares about or shorten the season by 5 games. It would breathe new life into the game. I have a ton of suggestions, the problem is that I think of the fans they think of the owners pockets.
" They should bring back home whites, "
I watched hockey as a kid, through the Islanders dynasty and about up till David Volek put two past Barrasso on the short side to eliminate the Penguins.....and I only started paying attention again when Klefbom RANG!!! one off the post against the Sharks.....so I missed when and why they went to home dark uniforms.
Please to explain....?
@@michaelzilkowsky2936 they did it because of the third jerseys. They said it was difficult for the road team to carry both jerseys on the road, in case the home team wore third jersey. Our favorite team should wear third jerseys on the road so the rest of the league can see them and wear white at home. I have been on a crusade to bring back home whites. My prediction- my favorite team( NY Rangers )will win the cup when they go back to home whites.
@@ravespartalive6496 i have never heard of third jerseys. And if a team is on the road, wtf would they need to drag along home jerseys?
My favorite is (or was) Islanders, thanks to Mike Bossy. I used to drive cab here and there was an NHL exhibition game and I picked up from a hotel John Davidson for a ride to the rink.
I asked him what it was like playing against Bossy, he said 'you know what he is going to do but you can't stop him.' lol
I agree that the sports betting adds are getting frustrating. Just so many of them and also
I think its quite dangerous because gambling addictions are a serious issue for some people. Some adds are fine but to the level we are seeing them is just crazy. But, from what I've read, NHL viewership is actually up from last year by about 10%.
Gambling addiction is like alcohol or heroin. You will lose everything you have.
@@Nickh4929Yeah it’s BAAAAD, and anytime I see friends of mine doing that, I get frustrated as hell because of how addicting it is.
no its not
its up in some ares and down in most
the final was the lowest rated on record
Those are all good reasons and I'm not going to knock them because I'm feeling pretty much the same way with my reasons being a bit different. I've watched and played a lot of hockey over the years but now it's a struggle. Why? I'm not 100% sure but I'll give it a try. Today's hockey is very high level and high tech. The players have become too big and too fast for the same size ice and I find it difficult to follow the play the way I'd like to or the way it was in another hey day perhaps. That's why I enjoy the Spengler Cup over Christmas so much. The players are fast and skillful but the ice is bigger and you can see the plays being made and that is a big part of the enjoyment of the game for me. Bobby Orr once said they should put the centre line back in as a 2 line pass infraction and I sort of agree but it's either that or the bigger ice. One other thing sort of minor is I grew up watching as a Habs fan too and I miss the dark sweaters as their away sweaters. The Habs dark sweater is the most unique sweater design in sport and it was a real source of pride when they would beat other teams in their own buildings. The sweater was to be remembered when they came to town.
As a Jackets fan, I have had a difficult time with paying attention this season. I was extremely heavily into it for about two months, and then a switch flipped and I could not motivate myself to keep following this team closely. There are a few other things in my life that were distracting me, and another important factor is that I moved away from Ohio and no longer am going to Jackets games regularly. But the main reason is, the team.
I agree with you at 100 % i just watch highlights anymore, a whole game is way too long to watch, i have the sense of losing my time. I'm also a MTL fan and this is right : they sucks. I often had the feeling of being fooled by the NHL. Thanks for giving me the feeling that i wasn't alone.
I agree with you 100% I love my Isles for sure and I do watch them all the time but I really can relate to what you say it is really sad and has gone too far with all the ads and the gambling promotions.
Newer NHL fan but dude all pro sports are doing all these things. It is what it is. NHL isn’t any different.
Not as bad as hockey tho. Everything is so inconsistent to the point where you have to attend games or go to a sports bar with friends.
Yes, you’re right - but he’s mainly an NHL/Hockey fan. He went from watching full games every day to not watching a full game for a full season. What the MLB, NFL, NBA, MLS, etc does isn’t really pertinent to his background or interests.
Great, I don’t watch those other leagues! Another reason not to.
Hockey as it worse tbf
Faxxx I hate watching the moving boards in football soccer basketball and baseball games
Very similar checklist. I find listening to the games on the radio more enjoyable. Watching on television is frustrating. Often announcers running off at the mouth and not calling the game.Betting lines appearing in the scoreboard box in the upper part of screen. Etc...
I really haven't watched hockey much in the past decade since the AHL team moved from my home city in 2013, but I started watching more during the last playoffs and this season I started following the Stars since they are the closest teaam to me and I look forward to watching as many games as I can now. I can see how it can be frustrating with teams changing regional networks and some going bankrupt or not getting carriage deals with certain cable providers we went through it here in my home city and the nba and mlb teams were only on one provider for multiple seasons.
I like how they used the whole blackout thing.....like they kinda in a way did stick by their promise that......like before the SPORTSNET/ROGERS contract they barely showed games from the US games unless its national televised in the US but now SPORTSNET show alot of not even nationally televised US games.....and ppl think it was about "oh s*** i can now watch the HABS even tho im in Van"
My love for the game heavily outweighs these minor issues. I hate blackouts as well, so I made myself buy the NHL Center Ice and now I get every single game. I know it sucks having to pay extra, but it is what it is right now.
sucker theres one born every minute
not all of us can afford it and the regular season sucks anyway
I feel ya man, i love your videos and i hope that all goes well for you moving forward
yes !!! 1 vs 8 playoff is dearly missed
This is a terrific video. You are not the only me feeling this way. The blackouts drive me nuts in all sports. If we are paying for a service, we should get all of the games. The 3 leagues that do this to their fans show that they don’t care about their viewers at all. I agree with all of the other points, too though.
Easiest way to always lose interest is following a team that’s garbage for an elongated amount of time. I know this from experience.
You should still be able to enjoy some games.
I'm a Penguins fan from Kansas but I only watch cable coz I can't afford the streaming stuff & I barely get to watch My favorite team so I don't really watch the NHL other then when it's on cable (which is not very often for me)
Honestly I tend to listen to the games more than actually watching them . I went to two dozen games during the 2021 & 22/23 seasons and this season 23/24I have been to 6 games and I and have two games left for the season and I don't think with the ever rising cost of tickets I will be able to afford to go next season. At all I do hope to still get to 3 or 4 games but I don't see it happening
I went to the Redwings home opener at the LCA with our son.
But, we got the tickets for free from someone who has season tickets, and wasn’t going.
But if it was just me,
and I have been a hockey fan since childhood, I wouldn’t spend a dime on it. 👎
It’s the gambling 🎰
Or rather the hypocrisy of penalizing players for gambling on something that isn’t their sport,
IN ANY SPORT,
while they all have completely sold out to the gambling industry.
That,
And I am completely over being beaten to death with
WOKE politics!
No more rainbows!!!
These people have made me hate rainbows!!! 🌈
That
And I can’t stand Betteman!
Doc Emrick retiring has been my number one reason for not watching as much hockey. His calls brought such life to the sport, no one currently calling games can even hold a candle.
Great video, excellent points man.
I should be going to more WHL games, the talent in there is wild. These young men are mega talented. The Red Deer Rebels have had serious players go through their system.
Digital ads on the boards have GOT TO STOP!!!!!
I don’t know what I would do if I stop watching hockey
How did the Sharks become your second-favorite team? I have heard random people from around North America say they like the Sharks ever since they were a kid. Usually its because they liked the Shark theme with the logo, teal uniform, and the big shark jaws that the players skate enter the rink through. Its like the Sharks P.R. department were specifically targeting kids when they decided to pick their logo and it was remarkably successful. Many of those kids are now adults and still like the Sharks.
Regarding the shootout & overtime, i would rather they just end the game after regulation and bring back the tie. There is nothing wrong with ties during the regular season. Soccer has ties and is doing perfectly fine. Eliminating overtime during the regular season would actually make overtime more meaningful during the playoffs. Its hard enough to stay up late for an entire regular season game without overtime. Typically when a random game in December goes to overtime, I just get irritated and want the game to end so I can go to bed.
Really good points and I agree with almost all that you said. I hate the ads on the boards you have ads on the ice themselves, before electronic boards you had stationary ads on the boards, you have tv ads during breaks in play, you have the announcers reading commercials during the game and that still is not enough they now have to have electronic boards so they can do multiple commercials on the board while the game is going on it's getting ridiculous. More so then board ads are ads on jerseys. The jerseys are suppose to be sacred, for 100+ years there was no ads on the jerseys and anyone that has seen European leagues their jerseys are littered with ads and looking awful. I remember some times when fans threw jerseys on the ice and players and coaches saying in interviews how mad they were and that the jerseys are sacred and eluding to the jersey should be respected. Yet NHL now no longer respects their jerseys, with these ads on them they are nothing but product placement and this has almost made me boycott the NHL. If they ever put 1 more ad on a jersey I will be quitting watching the NHL. I also want to say that the Stadium games use to be something exciting when you got one maybe 2 a year in the NHL. Now there is like 5 or 6 every year and it has already lost it's luster for me. For me it's just another game and not exciting and new anymore. Also I find that the fans are so far away in the Stadium games that it almost looks like they are playing in front of no fans and you don't hear alot of cheers and crowd noise in the stadium games. I don't know why the NHL doesn't bring the fans in closer to the ice like WWE brings fans in close to the ring during WM at the stadiums, NHL could sell more tickets and it would look better on tv.
Yeah the digital adverts really are offputting - completely wiping out the in-rink adverts of one team's rink and putting in that of their opponents just feels like an exercise in dishonesty. The betting adverts are obnoxious too - let me enjoy the game, I don't want to put a couple of quid "on the outcome" of the match, I want to enjoy a game, not rue losing those few bucks because I was two goals out from winning however much - that's not what I watch sport for.
CAN'T stand how even the announcers do the betting odds it's sickening. It's all money and greed like everything. Digital add boards advertising on helmets and shirts, it is all greed . And you and I pay for it all ,one way or another. ALL SPORTS have gotten out of hand on what players make and owners it is out of control.
I agree about the digital board ads. I don''t watch much of the NHL anymore because the ads causes discomfort to my eyes and head.
And 1 reason why I don't care. Because I don't care.
blackouts and cost?… i’ve been watching the NHL on free websites for the past couple years now… zero blackouts, and zero dollars….i can’t understand why people pay to watch….you click on any game, and all you gutta do is X out like 5-6 pop-ups and then the game plays just like it does on tv with no more interruptions
Lots of people are completely blind to this. They spend thousand like dummies.
As a matter of principle, I don’t watch these hacked streaming site, because it’s illegal to do so. I work in a business where we have copyrights and ethics. It would be hypocritical for me to do otherwise.
@@Nickh4929 it’s amazing
All the streaming services have ruined NHL broadcasting
I had a daughter in July of 2023 and got rid of cable but it's all good. I play more hockey then I do watch. Cheers!
Totally agree with almost each of your points, but I’ll add on another that you may or may not relate to… as I get older, and I’m only 28, I find it harder to really pay attention to an NHL game. I work 60-80 hours a week as a physician and don’t always have the energy or patience to sit down and really focus on an NHL game on TV for 3 hours. I can flip on a baseball game (huge baseball fan), football game, or even basketball game and work or rest - looking up to tune in for a half inning, a drive, a critical play, or the last 20 minutes of a game and enjoy myself. With hockey, that’s a lot harder because of all the constant action and quick scoring plays. Those are reasons why I love hockey and still go to games when I can, but also why it’s hard to really watch on TV unless it’s a big game.